Like Finding a Needle in a Haystack
by Invader K.M
Summary: A DibZim friendship story thingie. Part two up! Hmm... could this be Zim's most sinister plan ever? oO Please R&R DISCONTINUED.
1. The First Part

AN: I've had writer's block for the longest time. I have several in progress stories under another pen name that I know people would really like to see updates to but... I lost inspiration at the moment. So... here I am trying something out until inspiration strikes me on those other stories, a semi quasi filler bunny like story, if you will.

This is the first story of a series I intend on writing. For some strange reason I keep thinking of sewing-type things when I come up with titles o.O

FINALLY: This is a friendship story. I don't know if this will change or not, later in my plans I think it will but for the here and now... it's purely friend stuff. There is soo much I want to explore and I think if I keep Dib and Zim as *friends only* now I can get that done.

Disclaimer: I do not own Invader Zim, Dib Membrane or any other character that you recognize. They all belong to the Almighty Thinnest, Jhonen Vasquez. I am not making any money off this so don't sue me, I have nothing you would want except a battered old PowerBook that I would fight til the death for. I love my Mac *huggles laptop*

**Like Finding a Needle in a Haystack**

by D1b

Part One

His mouth was dry, his head throbbed, and this annoying beeping slowly but surely forced him to face reality. He opened one amber eye and waited a moment before feeling slight panic, where were his glasses? He half-sat up before a hand on his chest forced him back to the bed he laid on.

"I don't think that's a very good idea, Dib-worm." A very familiar voice spoke in an oddly quiet tone. "Those doctor slaves cut you open, slicing right through your muscles, you are injured."

Dib Membrane blinked a few times, trying to understand if there was anything Zim saying that actually held any meaning to help him figure out what the heck was going on. Sheer terror raced thorugh his body, old suspicions aroused and quickly in him as he screamed in quite a panicked tone.

"YOU DID A BIOPSY ON ME, DIDN'T YOU ALIEN SCUM?!" He had to squint to see the look of pure confusion on Zim's face but was not happy when the other started laughing.

"A biopsy on you... I wish I thought of that." Zim spoke after a moment of trying to gain control of himself. He snatched a pair of glasses from the bed stand and handed them over to one in bed. "No, Dib. I have not done such things to your stinky body. For all it's worth, you had an organ in you that wanted to explode; the doctor slaves have fixed you of your problem."

Dib put on his glasses, eyes never leaving the blurry green face of his arch rival and blinked when the words began registering. "An organ?" His hands went down to his abdomen and felt from under the hospital a scratchy gauze patch. "My appendix! I had appendicitis... but I didn't know. I mean I felt pains and everything but you and those laser mongooses--"

"WEASELS! Those were my laser weasels! But you and your filthy getting in my way with that wiener carrier thingy..."

"How did I get to the hospital? Gaz? My dad?" Dib was too busy trying to figure out who would care enough to get him help that couldn't keep up with Zim's pouting over his latest plan being foiled.

"Your family? You give them too much credit." Zim sneered. "Your father hasn't even approached this building that stinks of urine and antiseptic yet, everything is being faxed over to him. He told a nurse something along the lines that he was much too busy and he absolutely had no time for unplanned family emergencies. Your sister hung up on me and told me to never call her again or she would make my life miserable. I must say that she would have to get in line, you make it bad already with your big headed meddling."

"My head's not big." There was no conviction in Dib's soft whisper.

Zim found himself frowning. "That was a lame defense, Dib-beast."

Amber eyes filled with tears. "Go away, Zim."

The alien, in all his density suddenly realized that perhaps the wrong things were said just a few instances ago and they were bothering him. For all his worth, the one thing he didn't want to do was cause such pain to flash in those big honey colored eyes as they did just a moment ago. "Dib..."

"I know you're smart enough to understand English, Zim." The voice that cut the alien off from speaking was so cold, so... un Dib-like that it sent shivers down the invader's spine. "Go away."

"Do you seriously think you can get rid of Zim that easily you little Earth monkey!! I helped you. I'm sorry if I hurt you, it was not Zim's intentions!" Zim grabbed Dib's arm.

Dib tried to pull away. "Let go..."

"Not until you accept my apologies, stink beast."

"Fine, apology accepted. All is forgiven." He spoke in monotone before his voice turned a bit more desperate. "Leave. Now. I want to be alone." Zim hesitantly released his grip from Dib's limb and noticed that the human then paused for a moment. "After all, it's something I'm so used to." He cynically added. "I've always been alone, I always will be alone..."

"If you want to believe that, I cannot fight you." Zim spoke slowly. "Yet I always thought you were above the entire self pity level. Perhaps there was a lot about you I thought wrong." He got up and shut the door behind him as he left.

Dib stared at the door through his tears, wondering why it was now that he felt such loneliness that he was truly getting used to when just a few moments ago when his enemy was sitting at his bedside there was simply no trace of it.

A nurse then walked in a smiled at him She was actually pretty, kind brown eyes and dyed blonde job known due to the mousy brown of her natural color was showing at her roots. "I see you are awake now. How are you feeling, Dib?"

"Shouldn't you have had me awake right after the surgery?"

She gave him a quizzical look before laughing gently. "We did. You said you were fine, called your friend space scum and then promptly feel back asleep." She glanced around the room and after a moment her eyes returned to Dib. "I see he's gone now."

Dib was trying to figure things out but not much was going through his head right now. "Wait a second. You mean to tell me that Zim's been here all along?"

She nodded. "He carried you in, waited during the surgery and insisted on waiting at your bedside when we put you in a room. Do you need anything?"

"I'm thirsty."

"It's not wise for you to drink yet but... I'll be right back." She left the room, which was a good thing for Dib to sit back and try to get his thoughts in order. Zim brought him in... Zim waited for him... even though he was unconscious, he wasn't alone. Words from Zim came to his mind.

"_If you want to believe that, I cannot fight you_." What a... slam! He practically picked Zim up and threw him down with his words. _ But... I didn't know that he actually waited around_. Despite his thoughts, Dib had never felt like more of an ass and felt like maybe he should just fall asleep and never wake up or something along those lines when the nurse returned.

"Here you go." She said in her sing song voice and handed him over a cup with ice. "This will have to do for a bit, until the doctor sees you again and gives us the okay that you can drink and eat."

Dib nodded. "Who are you?" He asked as he picked out an ice cube and put it in his mouth.

"Nurse Peace." She smiled. "Is there anything else you want or need?"

He shook his head.

"Okie dokie, then a couple things to show you before I leave." She pointed out the IV in his arm and explained how the morphine worked so he could give himself doses if he got uncomfortable with his incision. Told him a couple more things, like how the doctor would stop by in a few minutes and again asked Dib if there was anything she could help him with.

"No, that will do it." He said, eyeing the morphine and making a mental promise to himself that he would not use it unless he was really in a lot of pain.

"Well I have to finish off my rounds, then. I'll be seeing you later, Dib." She walked to the door and turned to smile at him once more. "You really do have a good friend with that Zim." She replied before leaving his room.

Once again the guilt of what he said to Zim came crashing back down on Dib's head. He couldn't help but start thinking about what this could possibly mean. Zim was there when no one else was, for just one little bit of his life, Dib had someone at his side. It felt weird to say one thing, just like the few times that the two united sides when their common interest aligned. 

Yet to save Dib's life? That showed compassion... that made every little thought of Dib considering the invader a monster uncapable of feelings that held more depth than anger... Maybe there's other things about him I've been wrong when coming to my conclusions with him. Maybe... we don't have to fight like we do.

When I get out of here... I need to apologize to him. Dib thought as he bit his lower lip. And I hope… maybe… just maybe… Zim will accept it.

* * * * * * * * * *

A bit short, I realize but... it's a start *grinz* Anyone wanna see more? huh? huh? Anyone?


	2. The Second Part

AN:  ... sorry this took so long to update.  _ 

**Like Finding a Needle in a Haystack**

Part Two 

by: D1b

Zim had walked from the hospital back to his base, the more he thought about what had happened, the angrier he got.  With each step he took, his muttered ranting grew slightly and slightly louder until the point where he reached his front yard.  As soon as he took two steps within the saftey of his gnome field, he tilted his head back to the sky.

"THAT ROTTEN PIG WEASEL!"  Zim screamed, fist waving in the air.  Even when done with the screaming, he glared up into the sky as if silently demanding a higher power to witness this injustice.

"Master!  You came back!"  GIR screeched as he opened the front door, launched himself off the front step and glomped his master whole heartedly.

"Don't leave the door open, GIR,"  Zim replied out of habit before putting his arms around the clinging robot minion of his and lugged him back inside the base, closing the door soundly behind them.  He released GIR who landed very ungracefully on the ground in a belly flop.

GIR giggled at the floor.  "You're always there to catch me when I fall.  I love you, floor!"  As soon as he finished hugging the floor and raining a few dozen kisses down on it, he suddenly sat up and grinned at his master before confusion lighting his face.

"Where did the little laser mongooses go?"

"WEASELS!"  Zim shouted, now reminded more of the the past events of the night and no longer horrified at the apparent insanity of his metallic side kick.  "That HORRIBLE big headed stink beast arrived and destroyed my plans!  He somehow found access to a wiener truck, and then used it to distract my laser weasels!  They ate to the point of causing one big explosion-- destroying themselves and the wiener trunk and ending that wonderful plan I had for annilathing the humans."

"I like exploding wieners."  GIR answered, a dreamy look upon his face.  He then screamed suddenly and began dancing about the room.

"That wormbaby..."  Zim glared at GIR before fixing his gaze on the big screened TV that now lay in pieces on the living room floor.  He sighed tiredly as he recalled what havoc the laser weasels wreaked upon his base, the hopes he had of causing chaos among the humans for a decent enough opening that would ensure the invasion but... Dib interfered.  Again.  HE growled at the thought of his arch enemy.  

"And you know what happened after that?  He collapses! Just like that... takes one step towards me with that smirk on his STUPID face and WHAM!  On the ground, looking a me with this expression that was so vulnerable.  You'd think I would do what any invader would do and give him the final blow right there and then.  But NO!  That look in those AWFUL eyes of his...  I took him to where humans could fix whatever was broken in him.  Do you think he would even thank me for THAT?  Of course not!"

GIR stopped dancing around the room to sit on couch, long forgotten that Zim was even there and held tight the remote control to his metallic chest, sniffing.  "Why did you leave me, TV?  After so much time I devoted to you?  I loveded you, TV!  I loved you more than tuna!"  He started sobbing, still clutching the remote and rocking from his grief.

Zim ignored him, he stood in front of the couch, right between that and the TV remains, hands on his hips and speaking aloud his thoughts.

"What else to expect from that earthworm?  It's not the first time he showed me ingratitude.  Like when he dragged me with him to that nightmarish wourld of his imagination, how  he would have left me there to rot."  Zim visably shuddered at the thought.  "Or even the time he'd selfishly snatch the cures I'd try to make when both of us were transforming into baloney."

The advanced S.I.R. unit on the couch gasped as he turned to face the painting hanging on the wall behind the couch.  "I know where there's a TV!" He played with a few controls in a hidden panel on the sofa and giggled when words started flashing on the screen:

SENDING TRANSMISSION TO THE ALMIGHTY TALLEST.  CONNECTING: 5% COMPLETED... 10%... 15%...

"I love this show."

"... I don't even know what possessed me to save him tonite."  Zim stopped.  "Ridiculous, Invaders have honor, what am I thinking with all this lying?  His eyes.  Those HORRIBLE amber eyes that blankly stared at me through such confusion and pain.  No intelligence, no malice, the look in them didn't even resemble what a human would normally have."  Zim grimaced.  "More like... just a living being."

GIR was paying no attention to his master but was chanting with the numbers the screen displayed.  "75%... 80%... 85%..."

Zim shook his head.  Of course... the reason why he saved Dib.  Because the human was vulnerable... was scared... so unlike, Dib.  So unlike most of the creatures Zim ever encountered in his life.  It was... something actually worthy enough to show compassion to.

"And then he didn't even thank me!"  Zim growled his interesting little angry frustrated noises.  "I SAVED HIS LIFE!  Of course I would!  I am ZIM!  Even if he didn't look that way, I would make sure he would live to fight another day.  ZIM does not invade planets when his arch rivel is down but when his arch rival is at it's best.  Then vicory tastes so much SWEETER."

Zim turned to face GiR, one hand in front of him, palm upwards.  "Don't you think... so..."  his hand fell to his side.  "... m-my Tallest?"

Tallest Red turned to Tallest Purple who turned to Tallest Red.  Both Irken leaders had absolutely no idea what on Irk Zim was ranting about and it scared them to know what it could be.

Purple was the first to gather bravery.  "Zim... what were you just talking about?"

"Talking?  Was I?"  Zim stammered, still confused on why he was speaking with his leaders, horrified at how much they might have heard and afraid of the consequences of what it would be if the Tallest deemed Zim saving Dib an act of treason.

"You were."  Red glared, not happy about Zim's reply.  "So tell us.  Who did you save?

Zim flinched.  'Oh, my Tallest!  I'm screwed!'  He thought before trying to speak, no noise came out of his mouth besides a tiny squeak.  He tried speaking again.

"My arch rival, the Dib-human."  It was not an Irken's place to lie.  It was programmed in him to give whatever the Tallest demanded from him without a second thought.  The only thing he could do while automatically doing what the programming in him told him to do was find a creative way out of the trouble he was in.

"But you're supposed to wipe out the Earthanoids, Zim!"  Purple spoke in a tone that one would use for a kindergartner.

"I-I know, my Tallest.  But listen to ZIM! I--"  Zim suddenly had a plan.  It was desperate, off the top of his head, but his logic worked on it.  If I tell the Tallest a plan and then go through with it, I'm not lying.  "I have a new plan to destroy the humans, my Tallest.  A very ingenious one."

Purple and Red started giggling.  Purple soon couldn't handle it and busted out laughing.  "A... ingenious... plan.... from Zim!"  He spoke between gasps.

Red surprisingly enough, remained disciplined.

"What would that be, Zim?" 

"The Dib-beast is one of the only things in my way.  Continue to fight him is showing a waste of time.  He's a cleaver, deceitful big headed monkey.  I realize this is getting me no where, so I need get him to stop thinking I'm his enemy."

"What would you be, then?"  Purple asked.

"His friend.  It's what you could consider an ally," Zim translated the meaning of 'friend' since it was not a word common in Irken.  "I... befriend him, wait until his guard is down and then I strike."

Red and Purple looked surprised.  Out of all of Zim's plans, this one seemed to be one that made more sense than most.  It frightened them, was this a sign of coming apocolypse?

"Hold on, Tallest Purple and I need to talk about this."  Red snatched his co-Tallest and exited from the room, leaving a stunned Zim on the screen behind.

"Purple!"  Red hissed his voice low and a rather evil expression on his face.  "I think I have an idea on how to get rid of Zim."

"Ooh, what can it be this time?  Send him to a secret planet?"  Purple sarcastically asked.

Red gave Purple a death glare that sent the other to slightly slouch, allowing Red to be taller as well as his antennae drop in a submissive manner.  "Well, what?"  He grumbled.

"He plans to fool his enemy to think he is a friend.  Obviously, saving the Earthanoid's life was not enough."

"Obviously..."

So, let's tell Zim to end transmissions and invasion plans!  We tell him it's to help his plan to lower suspicions of this 'Dib'.  He won't be in our antennae anymore if he isn't contacting us."

Purple's face lit up when he realized where Red was getting out. "Oh, yeah.  I like that."

Zim fidgeted, he wondered what could possibly the Tallest have to do that took them away from talking to ZIM.  As he began to pace, Tallests Red and Purple returned, both with very smug expressions on their faces.

"We like your new plan, Zim.  We even came up with some suggestions so this on will work."

"Eh?"  Zim couldn't believe it!  The Almighty Tallest were going to help him?!

"The dib-thing sounds highly paranoid.  Even saving his life does not let him realize your intentions to befriend him.  SO... drop the invader act."  Purple spoke matter of factly.

"Tell him..."  Red had another idea.  "Tell him that you are exiled.  You are an outcast, that there was never a planet for you to invade and you are left on Earth to die.  You've been banished yet again, Zim."

"And... better start those plans now, ne?  So long, Zim!  Don't forget to stop those transmissions and don't try invading for another 8 years or so!"  Purple said while punching in a few buttons.

The screen flashed black before red letters appeared: YOUR TRANSMISSION CHANNEL HAS BEEN BLOCKED BY THE ALMIGHTY TALLEST.  IT MUST SUCK TO BE YOU.  Under that, a yellow Irken head grinning.

"I love this show!"  GIR giggled, starting intently at the now unchanging screen.

"WAIT!"  Zim weakly said, his legs felt like jelly, he sank down to his knees as he stared at the words on the screened.  Blocked?  How very kind of the Tallest to make his plans look so... real.  Yet... to not see another Irken face for who knows how long?  To be in practical radio silence?

He slightly hung his head down, feeling very alone and very tired.  He sighed once before slowly gathering his body under him and brought himself to his feet and looked around his base.

'Drop the invader act.' echoed in his mind, his Tallest gave him an order and it was one that he had no choice but to obey.  He headed once again for the kitchen; he would have to dismantle some of his labs, especially the ones that he knew Dib knew about.

"I am ZIM!"  He reminded himself.  "ZIM will befriend that Dib-worm... oh how, I will befriend him.  I will make this plan work, my Tallest.  Just you watch."  His expression was arrogant with just a hint of sinister plotting before he flushed himself down to the lower levels of his base.

* * * * * * * * * * *

AN:  o_O  Okay, my story took a few turns out of the way I wanted it to go.  This will be a friendship story, yes!  I just needed to get both of them into a mental state of needing to befriend one another.  I think I got that now.  *nods*

I had to rewrite this chapter several times... the few when I tried having Dib come over to ZIM's base weren't working, ZIM would always start a fight and one time it got so bad that Dib actually took a water gun out of his trench coat and... it wasn't pretty.  I didn't know if I actually liked this chapter before but... it's growing on me.  I think this is going to work.

How ya doin?  Wanna see more?  Got any thoughts on this?  Reviews, anyone?


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